Timely Teaching Tips: Building Supportive Relationships with Students – Weeks 3 + 4 Spring 2023

Connect with your students and show them you are present!

When it comes to academics, students repeatedly indicate that they regard faculty and instructors as their most important resource. It can also be intimidating for students to reach out to their instructors and ask for additional help. The tips in this post share several communication strategies you can use to connect with students, establishing yourself as a receptive, supportive resource.

Encourage Students to Use Office Hours Effectively

Do your students seem intimidated by the prospect of attending faculty office hours? Office hours are a beneficial space for students to openly communicate, ask questions and share what they need for success. Discussing Using Office Hours Effectively with your students helps them understand how your office hours work and how to prepare for a productive visit.

Canvas Announcement Feature

How can you remind students of what’s coming up in your course? Posting a weekly Canvas announcement that includes an overview of the week, deadline reminders, links to key assignments, and timely updates will help head off lots of questions, save instructors time, and reduce student confusion.

Use a Q & A Discussion Board for Efficiency

Do you want to avoid repeatedly answering the same questions by email? Set up a General Q & A Discussion in Canvas so all students can benefit from the answers. Students can even answer each other’s questions here. You can go to Canvas Commons, search for ‘Oregon State General Q & A Discussion’ and import the Discussion into your course.

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